This Blog Is Officially CLOSED. . .

Sunday, December 31, 2006

To All of My Wonderful Friends. . . .


2006 has been a year of changes for so many of us. Some good, some we would all rather not have had to deal with. But through it all, we have somehow managed to keep our heads in the right place and do what needed to be done.

The wonderful friends I have here at Blogger mean more to me with every passing day. Whether you realize it or not, each of you has, in some way, made a positive contribution to my life. The encouragement, understanding and the occasional kick in the rump have helped me to grow and move forward with my life. For that my friends, I am forever grateful.

As we welcome 2007, I ask each of you to take a moment to think about how fortunate most of us are. We go to bed at night in a warm home with a full tummy. Sometimes a little too full for our own good. We don't have to worry about our government breaking down our doors in the middle of the night to take away what little we have, just because they can do so. Anyone willing to make the effort can have an education. For most of us, healthcare is readily available, even if we can't always afford it. In short, if you are reading this, you are among a group that hundreds of millions people would consider the richest people on earth.

Sometimes, we lose sight of just how good we really have it. Today is a good day to remember that and ask ourselves how we can help to share our wealth with those who can only dream of such things. It doesn't take much to make a difference. It just takes getting off our spoiled butts and doing something, anything, to brighten the prospects for someone you will never meet or know.

Sometime in 2007 try to:

Say hello to a total stranger and wish them a beautiful day

Go through all those clothes you haven't worn in ages and donate them

Pick one day and volunteer at a hospital or homeless shelter

Drop a few coins in a donation canister for a local charity

Tell those closest to you how much you love them often. You can't say it too much

Above all, take the time to enjoy a beautiful sunny day and remind yourself of just how good you really have it in this world.

Have a safe and happy New Year!!

Much love to you and yours. . . .

Lauren

HUGGSS!!



Posted by Lauren :: 3:32 PM :: 7 comments

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Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Lauren's Changing World

I haven't posted much over the last couple of months. I've tried to keep up with comments and I've added a couple of rants, but nothing of any real substance. My job has had a lot to do with that, but there have been other things going on as well.

I started seeing a Psychologist again about 2 months ago. I needed to get some new input as to my options and decided that Rosemary (the previous Psych) wasn't the person for the job. Enter Dr. M. . . (She hates it when I call her that LOL!).

Little by little, I've been inching myself out of my self-imposed cave. We've talked extensively about who and what I am and where I want to go from here. Her insights have been a breath of fresh air. I no longer feel like I'm trapped. I know I have options and can still live my life as the person I truly am.

There have also been some other changes recently that have added to my improved outlook on my life. Can't get in to those just yet, but Lauren is beginning to feel like a whole new woman. . . Stay tuned. . . .

HUGGSS!!



Posted by Lauren :: 8:16 PM :: 7 comments

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Sunday, December 24, 2006

HAVE YOURSELF A. . . .

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannuka, Kwanzaa, or whatever you choose to celebrate. May your day be filled with laughter, good food and drink, great friends, family and above all, peace and love.

Please take a moment tomorrow to honor our sons, daughters, husbands, wives and friends who will be thousands of miles from home serving our country. Whether you agree with the situation or not, those men and women are away from their families to do a dirty job nobody should ever have to do.

As we approach the beginning of 2007, I wish all of my wonderful blog friends the very best in all they do. Denise, Babs, Jackiesue, Apos, Kevin, Clance, Carina, Linda, Nitwit, Donna, Patti. . I love you all from the bottom of my heart. You have become a part of my family. I can't begin to tell you how much your friendship and support means to me.

Peace, love and HUGGSS!! . . . from The Motown Bitch

BTW: Don't forget. . . Babs' birthday is this coming Sunday, 12-31. . . . Be sure to send her an appropriate greeting. . .

Love Y'all!!

Posted by Lauren :: 7:43 PM :: 5 comments

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Sunday, December 17, 2006

Wish List

UPDATE!!!!:

Well, one of my three "may I haves" was anwered today. I WILL have a job next year. . . YAY!!!!!!!!!. . . It sounds like I may have some added duties (OH GOODY!! I hate sleep anyway. . .), but I have a job.

Thanks Carina. . . I don't generally celebrate Christian Holidays, but this one really made me think.

Santa please may I have:

1: A holiday with my family that does NOT include; racist comments, gay bashing and people getting completely bombed before dinner.

2: Some sign that I'm still going to have my job next year.

3: A new PC, because this one is going to implode any day now.


Santa, please no:

1: Any further escalation of this insane war in Iraq.

2: Any additional blows to the US auto industry.

3. Senseless violence in our cities.


I'm not tagging anyone, but feel free to share your wish list.

I wish all of you peace, love and prosperity in the New Year. . .

HUGGSS!!



Posted by Lauren :: 5:42 PM :: 10 comments

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Thursday, December 14, 2006

FOAD Thursday

Well Denise, you asked and I think this is the perfect time for my first FOAD Thursday. A little late in the day I know, but here we go. . . .

Local Retailers: If you are going to advertise a special, at least have the common courtesy to actually HAVE the product in the store!!! When the sale price starts on Saturday and the shelf is empty at 7:30 AM, there can only be one explanation. . . YOU FUCKED UP!! KISS MY ASS!!!

My Neighbors: Living in a Condo community means we have rules. One of those rules is to pay your monthly dues ON TIME!!! Don't ask for an extension after I saw the appliance store dropping off your new 52 in. Plasma TV. . . BITE ME!!!!!. . . And get those GAWD AWFUL decorations off of the common property. Read the fucking by-laws!!!! DICKHEAD!!!

My Suppliers: When we assign deadlines for projects, they ARE NOT a suggestion. That is when the project is due!!!! I DO NOT appreciate spending an extra 15 hours a week helping you catch up, because you were letting shit go, and then lied to me about what you had completed!! I don't give repeat business to people who fuck me over. . . And thank you SO much for making me look like a total FUCKING idiot to MY boss. . . FUCK OFF AND DIE!!!!! I hope your Christmas lights short out and set your fucking Lexus on fire. . .

Local News Media: A car fire on the expressway IS NOT "BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!" It's a fucking traffic alert!!! It only affects the people who use THAT expressway, not the entire Metro area. . . We only have about 120 miles of expressway around here!! The same thing goes for snow fluries. . . IT'S SNOW!!!, not a fucking Sunami!!. . . Slow down and PAY ATTENTION!!

And finally. . . .

My Loving Family: Thank you SO much for waiting until the last FUCKING minute to make Holiday plans!! It's really no big deal for me to completely change the plans I've had in place for two months to accomodate YOUR child's schedule. We all know I have no fucking life anyway!!! And while we're at it, sending me a list of SUGGESTED gifts for your little darlings, who can't be bothered to acknowledge MY existance unless it's THEIR birthday or Christmas, takes a lot of balls!!! Sorry, I may have a cold that day. . . UP YOURS!!!!

BAH!! HUMBUG!!!

That concludes the first. . . but hardly the last FOAD Thursday from "The Motown Bitch!!"

I feel MUCH better now. . . .




Posted by Lauren :: 7:36 PM :: 7 comments

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Sunday, December 10, 2006

Things I've Done

I stole this from Denise, who stole it from someone else. . . .

The things that I have done are in bold.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive (Rode in one at 150 mph)
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said “I love you” and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving (never again!!)
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow (I grew up on a dairy farm)
56. Alphabetized your CDs (yes, I'm really THAT anal LOL!)
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie (Several industrial videos)
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone (Does Detroit count?)
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge (Walked the Mackinac Bridge {5 miles} 3 times)
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking (daily!)
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth (see #55)
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi (yes, EEEWWWW!!!!)
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions (I should have though)
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts (this junk heap is my third!!)
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head (long story, don't ask. . .)
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

Some of those I'm not proud of, but I did them just the same. . . .

I'll be back soon. . .

HUGGSS!!

Posted by Lauren :: 5:22 PM :: 7 comments

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